Rainforest expedition; Healthy lawn care; Ice Age' in 4D

ROYAL OAK — The Detroit Zoological Society is leading an expedition to the Peruvian rainforest to deliver school supplies to rural communities along the Amazon River at their own expense. From April 6-15, DZS staff, staff members and volunteers will pass out books, paper and supplies to hundreds of students in remote villages, enabling them to attend school and achieve a basic education with a focus on conservation. A second conservation expedition, from April 13-22, will build simple water purification systems to provide clean drinking water to two established Amazon communities.

Donations for the Adopt-A-School program are accepted by the DZS staff. For more information, or to make a donation, contact DZS Curator of Education Clair Lannoye-Hall at clannoyehall@dzs.org or 248-336-5803 or visit www.detroitzoo.org/adoptaschool.

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Video Games for Tweens

ROYAL OAK — Kids ages 7 to 11 can chill out at the Royal Oak Public Library, 222 E. 11 Mile Road, at 11 a.m. on Saturday and play video games on Wii, Playstation 2 and Game Cube.

Registration is suggested. Visit ropl.org or call the Youth Reference Desk at 248-246-3725 to sign-up for this free program.

Sweet event fights diabetes

CLAWSON — Leon & Lulu, 96 W. 14 Mile Road, is celebrating its seventh birthday with cake for everyone, including diabetics. The Let Them Eat Cake Pro-Am Baking Extravaganza is a baking competition open to both home and professional chefs, which features delicious, visually appealing and diabetic-friendly desserts of all kinds. The event, from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, will benefit the American Diabetes Association. Three prizes will be awarded in both the amateur and professional categories.

“Diabetes affects an estimated 25.8 million children and adults in the United States and we want to show people that diabetic-friendly food can be delicious,” said Mary Liz Curtin, co-owner of Leon & Lulu.

Leon & Lulu’s birthday party will include tastings of all desserts, entertainment, and traditional roller rink fare served by the store’s skillful skating waiters. Diabetics get fast passes to the front of the line. Ten percent of the day’s sales and funds raised in a raffle will benefit the American Diabetes Association.

BLOOMFIELD TWP. — A Healthy Lawn Care Workshop, sponsored by the Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority, is scheduled from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday at the Bloomfield Township Public Library, 1099 Lone Pine Road.

Gary Eichen, bioturf manager at Mike’s Tree Surgeon’s Inc., will talk about grass and weed management from the watershed perspective.

Advance registration is requested by calling 248-288-5150; by visiting www.btpl.org or sending an email to LFDean@aol.com.

‘Ice Age’ in 4D at the Zoo

ROYAL OAK — Detroit Zoo visitors can experience an adventure of mammoth proportions with “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” now showing at the 4-D Theater in the Wild Adventure Zone.

The sub-zero heroes from the worldwide blockbuster venture into a mysterious underground world after Sid the sloth stumbles across three abandoned eggs and decides to raise them as his own. Once the eggs hatch, the adventure begins in the lost world of the dinosaurs. The 14-minute film is voiced by an all-star cast, including Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Queen Latifah.

Back for a return engagement and alternating with “Ice Age 3” at the 4-D Theater is “Great Escapes: Life in 4-D”, which takes a look at the ingenious tactics animals have developed to survive and thrive in a danger-filled world.

Also returning this season is “Happy Feet: Mumble’s Wild Ride” at the Simulator Ride in the Wild Adventure Zone.

ROCHESTER — Members of the Oakland University community and members of the public will be offered a free lunch in exchange for their First Amendment rights by signing a form waiving their rights anytime from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, at Oakland University. The First Amendment Free Food Festival will take place between the north entrance of the Oakland Center and Bear Lake.

The festival will be hosted by OU Honors College students enrolled in the class “A Modern Look at the First Amendment.” The just-for-fun event is designed to educate citizens about their fundamental freedoms while also having a good time and enjoying a free meal.

Guests, however, must symbolically sign away their rights, which include freedom of speech, the right to peaceably assemble, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Campus maps are available at www.oakland.edu/map. Visitors should look for the big white tent. For more information, contact Kathrin Parisi at kmparisi@oakland.edu.

Program teaches parenting techniques

FERNDALE — Ferndale Youth Assistance is sponsoring a free Family Education Program, “Love & Logic,” from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, at the Ferndale High School Media Center, 881 Pinecrest.

This is a parenting program that is geared toward assisting parents by teaching them practical parenting techniques. The facilitator, Gloria Sherman, will provide real-life examples of how to handle stressful communications with your child.